PORTOBELLO

So...today was busy busy busy..I was on the West Side...doing a few work things and also doing  a bit of shopping/scouting. So there was a lot of cool stuff around...and it's always nice at this time of year when that Christmasy feel is in the air....
I checked out a very cool boutique Kokon Tozai on Golborne Road...the interior of this store is amazing...its a real all round shopping experience...high end clothing, jewellry and lots of other interesting stuff...and it's sandwiched between random food stores etc...definitely worth heading over there! They also have a store in Soho....and Paris. Check them out at http://www.kokontozai.co.uk/.
I must say though...that I think I bagged THE BEST BUY of the day...
At the very end of the day whilst heading to the bus I spotted out of the corner of my eye....THE ULTIMATE JACKET....
It was on a small stall with two middle aged ladies selling a hot potch of stuff...mostly not good....
Anyway...an oversized sequined blazer...I recognised instantly it was Escada Couture as it has the same tailoring and unusual cuffs that my own beauty has....when I went over for a further inspection...the label had been removed...but sure enough the lining was Escada. So I asked how much....and got it for £20!  Its amazing - forget any of these high street imitations...this is the real deal...high quality and good tailoring for a start....AMAZING sequined lapels and cuffs (which are removable)...seriously oversized with SHOULDER PADS....I'm in love.
So I now have 2 fabulous oversized Escada Couture jackets...but you know one can never have too many! What was SO good about it was the lovely ladies had no idea...I did tell them it was Escada but they just said it looked great on me...maybe its the scouse accent...! I tried it on and it looked amazing!!! So I then left very happy...and all the other things that had caught my earlier seemed less amazing! Oh and topped off with a cup of mulled wine and a flake (which I stole from the hot guy selling hot chocolate...he let me of course!)....all in all a very productive day...for both business and pleasure! Back home...have baked 2 cheescakes (Cinnamon white chocolate and pumpkin seed) for brunch in the country tomorrow....and am now off out! Mmm...now what shall I wear??
RQ X

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MARKET KITCHEN

So....it's that time of year again....CHRISTMAS TV! We attended the filming for Market Kitchen Christmas show this week. Which was fun, as it involved Christmas dinner for breakfast!
Upon arrival, there was a mince pie taste test (this is at 8am!!)...and before 0930hrs we were eating beef....! Anyway it was an excuse to get dressed up in our Christmas best (pink cowboy boots and my new Brooke Roberts catsuit) and mingle with celeb chefs.
Phil Tuffnell turned up and made some very potent sangria around 11ish....and can you believe it .....they even had a BAKED CHEESECAKE recipe! Ha!
Now, I am biased about my cheesecake...but only because I am SO  passionate about it! This was an 'Italian American Cheesecake'....so it was made with Ricotta. Now I have used ricotta before, and I'm always interested in learning new techniques....or just seeing how other people do things....I must say I wasn't impressed....too many eggs = wrong consistency.
I then aquired a pumpkin....and went home and baked a pumpkin cheesecake....shame I wasn't in the States...
So...a fun day all round...they're filming another Christmas show next week...so should be going along!
Once a week fine dining for breakfast makes me happy!

SHE'S IN FASHION

So this week I was lucky enough to preview the Brooke Roberts SS10 collection.
Brooke's designs are amazing..I found a denim waistcoat to die for, beautiful leather shorts, feminine yet edgy dresses with bold prints....I'd like to have the whole collection please!
As a catsuit/jumpsuit/playsuit enthusiast...I was not disappointed....and managed to bag myself what I consider to be the hottest catsuit around, with a sexy zip running right the way down the back and under!
http://www.brookeroberts.net/

I also took a wander down the high street to see what was out there and was very impressed! There's some lovely new stuff out in Top Shop this season...very fashion forward. The Unique label has excelled itself and there was also a lot of very nice pieces in the regular collection.

A fan of all things nautical, there was a lot of stripes etc...but with a Parisian twist.
My favourite piece was a little Chanel inspired jacket, adorned with sequins. Teamed with a pair of tight hareem style leggings....you have a high street outfit which doesn't look very high street at all!

Check out my take on the sequined look...a little more out there...but incorporating the Parisian theme with my scarf...lets say Parisian meets Rock and Roll!

Loving all things individual, and dare I say it....a bit crazy...I'm always on the look out for stand out pieces, usually vintage one-offs. I tend to get most from my regular trips to New York and California.

However, one of my best recent buys was actually here in London. I'm a lover of over sized coats, jackets...and I managed to buy a coat that wasn't leather...in fact denim... £28 from Beyond Retro. Definitely the best buy in the last couple of months.  Perfect with leggings...over a evening outfit...casual or dressed up, and most of all FUN FUN FUN!!!

 One of the most exciting designers out there at the moment, Rachel Freire's SS10 collection was previewed at Movida last week...my favourite piece is suprisingly not the most versitile...but is just AMAZING.....with human hair sleeves...All that said, this collection is very wearable. I love the cropped macs!
I was lucky enough to model a piece from her AW09 collection just recently...I love her tailoring and use  of leather.
 http://www.rachelfreire.com/

So...the last thing for me to talk about is my weekly AA fix...AMERICAN APPAREL.....that is!
I love this place...I've been a regular now since long before it was available in the UK...simple yet sexy...perfect to wear it how you want it! This week..I found the THE coolest little oversized cropped T. With dancing ladies on...teamed with a pair of vintage high wasted Versace jeans...very 1980's trash! I HEART AA!!!!!!!!!

So...I'm off to be a domestic goddess and prepare for my dinner party later!

RQ X

WAHACA

So...my main issue with London is the lack of good Mexican Food....
A few weeks ago, whilst at a Market Kitchen filming...I was over the moon to discover they were doing a Day Of The Dead section.
Thomasina Miers, winner of 2005 Master Chef was on doing a dish from her restaurant Wahaca.
She treated us to her Smoked Herring Tostada - delicious!
How refreshing....a talented British chef, food writer and campaigner, she opened the canteen-style Mexican restaurant in Covent Garden in 2007. On offer is authentic  food from the market stalls in Mexico, using good British produce and MSC certified fish.

So, this week I decided to go along to Wahaca and sample it for myself. Loved it!
We arrived just after 6 o'clock. which is a good time to go, as within just an hour the place was packed!
Could it be the new Wagamama? I think so...totally different food of course, but a similar set up - if not a bit more classy. We were taken to our table by a good looking friendly waiter, who was happy to talk us through the menu.
With an extensive tequila and cocktail menu, I actually managed to pass on the red wine to try one.
Aptly named 'Day of the Dead' the long drink included pineapple, tequila and my favourite ingredient....RED WINE! Ha! It was lovely.
The 'Street food' is a selection of Mexican style Tapas.
Vegetarian Carolynn opted for these....and had Black bean tostada, Black beans & cheese quesadilla and Huitlacoche and feta taquitos. Very reasonable priced and very reasonable portion sizes!
I was tempted by the Street food - as I'm a BIG  tapas fan...particularly by the Chorizo Quesidilla....however I couldn't resist trying the Mole Enchilada. Wahaca has 7 different moles, inpressive indeed. Our friendly waiter brought us over some samples, which we tucked into, using cute plastic spoons...I was tempted to take one home...a bit like the Wagamama soup spoons...!
My main course: served with shredded free-range chicken was delicious, and there was lots of it!
We were too full for pudding, but the vanilla ice-cream with toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled home-made hibiscus syrup sounded great!
And all this for only £32. We will definitely be going to Wahaca again.
They even have an interesting News Letter and 'Grow your own chillies' disguised as colourful books of matches.
The Mexican Revolution is here....and I like it!

So, I'm even more determined to go ahead and get my Mexican Sugar Skull tattoo now....I've been putting it off for months as I've been away all summer....but think now is the time....

RQ X

NOVEMBER RAIN?

So it never rains but it pours...quite literally! So far this month there's been so much going on that it hasn't managed to dampen the mood.
Halloween TG was the chance to throw myself in the deep end and bake 85 alcoholic cheesecakes in 24 hours! Grasshopper and Chilli Tequila...it was fun to bake them in cupcake size actually...and of course they were accompanying the mini works of art that were the amazing alcoholic cupcakes from There May be Truffles Ahead! Watch this space for more cupcake parties....!

I am going to be going full speed ahead with the cheesecake baking..so if anyone would like a custom cheesecake for any occasion let me know! Website coming soon.....

This week is of course American Thanksgiving and so I have come up with a Pumpkin Cheesecake....Recipe to follow....